Sent to save not to love
by 26.narufan.07
Summary: Shikamaru is told to put together a squad of 5 to go to the sand village when Temari suspects an attack on the Kazekage but will she and Shikamaru re-unite the way she wants or will someone else get in her way after being away from him for so long? If so does this put the Kazekage at risk?
1. Chapter 1

_Chapter 1. _

It was a normal sunny day in Konoha when the Hokage called on Shikamaru to come to her office for an urgent request.

'_What a drag, I hope this isn't another one of her silly little missions she thinks is a big deal because she's such a troublesome woman...' _Shikamaru thought to himself as he walked down the main road to the Hokage office.

When he arrived he was greeted by a stapler thrown at his head but because he's been training hard with Asuma the past few weeks his reflexes have improved quite a bit and managed to dodge the stapler while he was sort of trying to block out the sounds of the Hokage yelling at him for taking to long.

"Getting to business Shikamaru, the Sand Village are require our assistance in what they have predicted is an attack on the Kazekage again from one of the small neighbouring towns as they disapproved of his leadership and think he is to much of a threat to their safety." She explained. "You have the people on this list to pull together a team of 4 (including himself) to make sure he is safe and unharmed."

She handed him the clipboard of ninja not on missions..

"Based on that I'm supposed to come up with a good squad?" Shikamaru protested trying to get more information out of her convinced she knew something else.

"Yup, now on you go. You have half an hour to be out this village and on the way!"

"Okay I guess I'll go get my team." He said with a smirk and left her office with the clipboard back on the table from when she handed it to him.

It was time to leave and Shikamaru was standing at the Konoha gates with Chouji, Shino, Neji and was waiting on Ino.

"Sorry I'm late I had to see Lady Tsunade" Screeched Ino while she approached the guys at the gate

" What was it about? Get any more information on the mission?" Asked Shikamaru hoping she would be silly enough to trust him and tell him anything she found out but realized she wasn't that stupid when she yelled back at him

"NO! And even if I did I wouldn't tell you! I know what you're like when we have to go see the Sand village under Temari's call for help!" Ino snapped back not realizing that Shikamaru wasn't supposed to know Temari was the one asking for help.

" So it was Temari was it?" Shikamaru asked casually even thought inside he was really worried about anything happening to her...

" It's most likely nothing, it's Temari she suspects things all the time Shikamaru no need to worry." Chouji said between the handfuls of crisps he was shoving in his mouth.

" Chouji is right Shikamaru but if he's wrong we should get heading..." Neji said in a calmer manner trying not to alert Shikamaru that something could go seriously wrong if they were there for much longer.

"Well then let's stop chatting and let's get going..." Shino said trying to get everyone going before he dyed of boredom of them all talking about leaving but not actually getting anywhere.

They all headed of at top speed but Shikamaru knew they wouldn't be able to keep the speed up because it's a three day journey to the sand village even when you're chounin it still takes a couple of days, two at the least. So when the sun sets Shikamaru gets Neji to check with his Byakugan there is no one there to attack them while they set up camp.

Shikamaru was staring at the clouds for about an hour and a half before he drifted off to sleep thinking of how happy he was to be seeing Temari again after so long...


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two.

Shikamaru woke only to realize that everyone was already packing up the tent,

'_how long was I asleep?'_ he questioned himself as he quickly jumped down from the tree he was in and continued the journey through the forest when they could already see the village?

"How is that possible? It's only been one day and one night? How can be this close already?" Shikamaru asked aloud as he stopped and crouched into his usual thinking position making that open circle with his hands hoping to come up with a reason as to why they were so close already.

Before he could even come up with any sort of strategy Neji answered his question,

"You tried not to show how worried you were about the fact it was Temari calling for our assistance but throughout the day you got faster and faster and we covered about ¾ of the distance in just one day leaving only the short walk just this morning..." Neji answered in a sort of monotone, trying not to contribute to annoying or confusing Shikamaru leaving him with more numbers to think about this early in the morning.

"Okay well then, let's get going..." Shikamaru said a slight bit of doubt in his voice... He was happy to be seeing Temari and Gaara again but given the amount of time that has past, would she even remember him? Would she be happy it's him who was sent? Would she be annoyed it was him? Had she replaced him while they were apart? Only one way to find out...

They entered the village, they expected people to be everywhere or at least some sort of signs of life but instead there was the complete opposite! It looked like no one lived there. Shino's bugs had already located the Kazekage building at the centre of the village so they cautiously made their way to building.

When they arrived there was definite signs of life because he could already, without even entering the front doors heard all three of them arguing in the main room.

They went up the stairs and made their presence known to whom he believed was Temari, Gaara and Kankuro. Neji had already made it clear that despite the fact Shikamaru was the chounin and the leader, he would do most of the talking as he gladly admitted that Lady Tsunade had withheld certain information from him.

AS they entered the room it was less than 10 seconds before Temari threw something at Shikamaru and stared mouthing off at him and his team for taking so long!

" What took you guys so long? It's not that far away and we need you here when we ask for you here! Got that crybaby? Get here faster next time the Kazekage is leaving tomorrow morning and I wasn't sure how much longer we could last without you!" Temari screeched in Shikamaru's face rather loudly, causing him to cover his ears with both hands.

"Same as ever you troublesome woman, always giving me a hard time for something I didn't have control over..." Shikamaru answered her back in a slightly sloppy tone.

" HEY! Temari? It isn't fair that you go ranting off at Shikamaru when it clearly wasn't his fault and anyway he might not even be head of the mission or whatever you wanna word it like! NEJI actually happens to be leading us right not so stop giving it all off on Shika-chan or you'll have me to deal with!" Ino yelled at Temari while sort of hugging Shikamaru's arm rather cutely he had to admit to himself.

"Why would Neji be in charge of the mission? MY Shika-chan is the only chounin in the group and I specifically asked and requested he was on this case!" Temari answered her back in a slightly more calm tone this time.

" Whatever you could have requested all you want but you haven't seen Shikamaru for years so you don't have the right to call him YOUR Shika-chan any more!" Ino said to her still hugging Shikamaru's arm!

"Don't mean to interrupt but now I know they are here I need to talk to Shikamaru alone so can you two girls go bicker in the streets and after Shikamaru I take Neji or Shino you are second in command?" Gaara said to them in such a bored tone you could watch a documentary on how to make ramen and have a more positive tone in your voice after it...

"Yes I'm second in command after Shikamaru but given the conversation just there I think I should have put in command in the first place..." Neji said mumbling the last bit under his breath making sure Shikamaru didn't hear him.

"Okay, here are you're rooms in the hotel for the night you can arrange among yourself who is sharing a room with who..." Gaara said whilst handing the papers over to Neji, who then bowed and left the Kazekage's office.

Temari and Ino decided to continue bickering all the way down the hall until finally they cam outside the building all together and Chouji tried calming Ino down but since that clearly wasn't working and no one was even going to risk talking to Temari after what happened last time someone talked to her when she was on a rampage... So instead Chouji just took Ino out to get something to eat and drink and talk to her about why she was so worked up about it and Shino being rather confident decided to talk to Temari about it and then left Neji to get the hotel sorted out because none of them wanted to have to deal with that on a hot day! Plus they wanted to know what was going on with Shikamaru and the two girls...

Review and let me know how I'm doing! \(•_•)/


	3. Chapter 3

**How's it going? **

**Enjoying it so far? **

**Going to add a little more ShikaTema moments soon don't worry! **

**Am I getting anywhere or nowhere fast enough?**

Chapter 3.

Neji signed them all in at the hotel, or what they called a hotel in the sand village and just to be annoying booked them in for 2 double rooms and 1 single because he wasn't going to be sharing with any of those guys especially not Ino.

'_I wonder what Ino was getting so worked up about it's not she's dating Shikamaru or anything all Temari did was get a little bit frustrated and she totally blew up at her and started getting really protective? What was that all about?' _Chouji thought as he was listening to Ino drinking her drink and not actually saying anything.

"Is everything alright Ino? I've never seen you so worked up before? I thought you hated Shikamaru anyway! You said he always to lazy to be good at anything?" Chouji asked her after he finally found the confidence in himself to talk to her.

'_Do I tell him... It's not like he would tell Shika-chan or Neji or Shino or anyone just to get me back Chouji isn't like that... I can trust him surely? He's been on my squad from the start despite the amount of bullying he got he's always been there for me and Shika and always helps people and is really nice... I guess I can tell him... The worst he can do is laugh...' _ Ino thought to herself staring at her drink that she didn't actually remember paying for...

"It's just that-" Ino started that caught Chouji's attention so he looked up at her only to notice a tear forming in the corner of her eye.

He knew it would be hard for her to talk about in a public place and he knew it wouldn't be easy for her anyways because Ino wasn't ever the one to open up about anything but Chouji was now realizing this after he asked her straight up if there was anything wrong! What had he done!

"You know what it doesn't matter don't worry about it!" Chouji said to her trying to comfort her while giving her a huge grin covering his whole face or what seemed like to Ino!

"Thank's Chouji but you asked so I'll answer!" Ino said to him a slight smile covering her chin!

"Okay then Ino, I'm here to listen." Chouji changed his position from relaxing in the booth to upright and interested leaning slightly over the table to show he was eager to understand her problems.

So Ino started her story...

About an hour later, as it was a rather long story, Chouji didn't know what to say to her. He thought it was rude to sit and stare at her but she had just given him a lot to take in and it would take a bit to prosess it all but all he did was give her a re-assuring smile and said "Don't worry Ino I won't tell anyone especially Shikamaru! You're secrets safe with me!"

"Thanks Chou! I knew I could trust you!" She said while they both got up and left the table when she to Chouji's surprise gave him a hug but Ino had found it hard to to open out to people so Chouji just hugged her back and they started walking back to the hotel to meet Neji both agreeing not to tell anyone about their conversation.


	4. Chapter 4

**How is it? **

**Liking it so far?! **

**Hope you enjoy this chapter sorry if it's a bit long!**

**Also if it's a bit confusing I'm only switching between Shikamaru and Garra with Shino and Temari in this Chapter! **

**Sorry for the last chapter it was a bit short! **

_Chapter 4._

_**Meanwhile with Shino and Temari... **_

Temari just stormed off away from Ino and Chouji who walked away from them in the opposite direction _(Maybe not specified in last chapter)_ and it was kind of hard for Shino to just ask her what was wrong, he didn't really know Temari or anything about if this looked creepy or not because I guess when someone sees a figure like Shino following a someone like Temari you do get some weird ideas forming in your head especially if Shino is from a different village, so to make it look less creepy Shino caught up to Temari and finally just asked her.

"Is everything okay? I didn't know you and Ino didn't get on? I thought it would be the opposite with you two... You got on so well in the leaf..." Shino said to her while grabbing her arm pulling her back to face him.

"Everything is fine. Ino just can't leave him alone can she?" Temari said smirking, almost like she expected her to act like the way she did.

" You say that like you expected it..." Shino said to her trying not to look her dead in the eye in case she predicts him next.

" That's because I did expect it, I know she loves Shikamaru you guys can all avoid telling me now, after the event in the office isn't it obvious? It's a shame he's in love with me not her, it's going to break her little glass heart." Temari said chuckling on the last bit...

" I don't know what you're talking about if anything Ino said she hated the guy because he was to lazy to be bothered doing anything and to a girl of her nature that's pretty important to not love someone boring and lazy..." He sort of mumbled to her...

" Whatever it's not me you should be worried about, where is Ino? Is someone calming her down." Saying it almost as if she was slightly concerned about her...

"Chouji I believe is calming her down because Shikamaru is still in the office with Gaara and I wasn't signing into the hotel, so I left all that to Neji. At least that's what I think Shikamaru might be with them now."

"Well tell her to keep her hands OFF MY Shika? Got it?" She asked him now sounding more like she wanted to kill Ino more than help her...

" Got it." Shino said finally rising his eye to stare at her dead on but naturally you couldn't see his eyes because he never took off those silly glasses!

They walked their separate ways and Shino could already see Chouji with Ino standing talking to Neji.

_**Meanwhile with Gaara and Shikamaru. **_

In the office Shikamaru was sitting opposite Gaara at the other side of the desk with hardly any paperwork on it, compared to Lady Tsunade's desk it looked like a beautiful holiday resort.

Shikamaru listened to him go on about how he thinks Temari over reacted and that he'll be fine but not matter how he put it Shikamaru always came back with the same response.

" We can't just leave that would make out village look bad it's better we stay just in case she might not be over reacting at all." He said it in that glum and bored tone which made Gaara think if he kept talking he would give up but he was being so persistent and bored at the same time he could give him a run for his money.

"Looks like you won't be giving up Nara... I should stop trying..." Gaara said admitting defeat.

" Thank-you I don't know how much more I could take of that!" Shikamaru said standing up getting ready to leave expecting that to be all, Gaara followed stood up, bowed and dismissed him. Shikamaru was walking down the corridor when he reaslized he had no idea where this '_hotel' _even was. '_Now I need to go back in and ask him where this hotel is... How troublesome, I would rather walk around the whole village and try to find it blindfolded but I guess I can't really help it can I... Back I go...'_ he thought as he turned around in the corridor _'Damn and so close to the front door as well' _Shikamaru said to himself walking back up the stairs and into the office.

" Gaara, I forgot to ask, where is the place we are staying, the rest sort of left without me!" Shikamaru said staring at Gaara looking out his window to see Chouji with Ino walking to Neji a couple of blocks away but from his height of building his office was located on he could see next the the whole village.

" When you leave my building go left, down 4 streets and it's the 5th building to the right of you." Gaara said sort of half paying attention.

"Thank-you I'll be off now!" Shikamaru said passing a slight wave his way and eventually leaving and off to find his way.

_**At the hotel ( After the separate pairings just there) **_

"Hey, Shikamaru, what took you so long pal?" Chouji asked him with this beautiful cheesy grin across his face,

"Yeah, sorry Chou, it took longer that I expected as well, he kept insisting we left but I managed to keep my calm and get the message through to him that we can't leave we were requested here and here we'll be!" Shikamaru said smiling slightly looking at them all and then holding a longer glare at Ino who was putting on her fake smile that Shikamaru saw right through.

"Come one guys I'm STARVED!" Chouji exclaimed staring at his stomach that grumbled slightly at the idea of foods in his head thinking of what he wanted to eat.

"I suppose I am kind of hungry, then afterwards we can sign in to our rooms and get the keys later." Neji replied with less enthusiasm that Chouji but you could hear he was hungry by the way he put the food before the hotel.

"Let's go then!" Chouji said and started walking, everyone left him to take the lead it would look less embarrassing if he got them lost not Shikamaru and no one really cared what, they just wanted food.

"Follow me." Shikamaru whispered to Ino then grabbed her hand and pulled her the other way.

"Shikamaru what are you doing, where are we going? We will get lost if we separate from the group!" Ino said trying to keep her voice down.

"Shikamar-" She was cut off by the closeness of Shikamaru in front of her but before she could finished she closed the distance and their lips met for the first time.

**This is like a really big awkward love triangle right now. **

**I will fix it all up in the next chapter. **

**Should I bring Gaara into this or leave him to a serious little Kazekage?! **

**Sorry if it was a bit long couldn't find a better place to stop! **

**I'll make the pairings a bit more understandable in the next chapter and I'll explain it at the start as well... **


	5. Chapter 5

**Okay I understand it's confusing so before I go and make it worse I am **

**dedicating this chapter to fixing it all up but before I do I am going to **

**explain it so far. **

**_ Shikamaru _**

**_ Ino Temari_**

**Chouji Shino **

**So Shino likes Temari, **

**Temari likes Shikamaru, **

**Chouji likes Ino, **

**Ino likes Shikamaru and **

**Shikamaru knows nothing and about no one and doesn't know... Yet! **

**Chapter 5. **

Their lips parted and Ino went to run away but Shikamaru took her hand and wouldn't let her but automatically, her usually being in this sort of position, came up with and excuse

"The other guys will wonder where we got to besides I'm hungry let's go!" Ino said bright as ever as if nothing happened.

"Right the guys will be worrying..." He said sort of half confused and half understanding, all this was taking him a while to process and even for him that's weird.

So he let her go and expected her to run given her previous actions but she didn't, she waited on him to catch up with himself and start walking.

They eventually caught up but before they did Ino whispered to him "I need to talk to you later!" she said it while looking up to him with little cute eyes and a little smile, he couldn't say no!

"Okay, get me outside the hotel later I am going to the Kazekage after this to eat, he requested me!" he lied through his own front teeth, he hated lying but this time it wasn't really optional.

They were all sitting at a booth talking and laughing and making jokes and having a good time, having a drink because they were all old enough now! _( Time has passed ) _

It was all good and then Shikamaru got up and went to 'See the Kazekage' before seeing Ino.

Since he wasn't really going he just walked around the other edge of town avoiding running into people he knew trying to get back to the hotel and getting lost and finding him and none of them could get lost enough to be this far away from the bar or the hotel. No matter how hard you tried.

He noticed he had been wandering looking at the cloudless sky for about an hour and a half and headed back to the hotel, to no surprise seeing Ino there waiting like he suggested.

"Hey." He said walking up to her,

"Hey Shika!" Ino said bright as ever!

"How many times have asked you not to call me that!"

"More than enough! So about what happened earlier, I'm sorry let's just pretend it didn't happen okay?!" Ino said looking up to him.

"If that's what's easiest for you Ino!" Shikamaru said to her looking sympathetic but Ino couldn't keep her thoughts to herself any more!

_'To hell with it I'm asking him and I'm getting an answer and I won't run away if it's not me!' _

Ino thought to herself and blurted out

"If you HAD to choose between me and Temari who would you choose?" Ino said to him totally changing her voice to someone dead serious now.

" I wouldn't choose between because I don't believe I ever would have to." Shikamaru said honestly.

"Well choose for my sake, me or her!"

"I honestly don't know Ino, it's not something I think about to be honest with you, I haven't ever really thought of you as more than a friend before... Given me and Temari used to go out before it got complicated after the chounin exams, I focused on her more than other girls. Besides I thought you were into Sasuke like Sakura and the rest of them!" Shikamaru said back to her,

"SASUKE?! Are you kidding me on? Why I be into him? He's totally crazy and he tried to kill Naruto-Chan and I know he's a pain and messes up all the time but he's nice when you get to him and I wouldn't ever love him! Not really!" Ino snapped back at him and in a tone that gives him the idea he was meant to know this.

'_Of course I was meant to know this wasn't I!" _Shikamaru said in his head mocking her tone..

"Well I'll answer I thought about it and I'm sorry Ino but Temari just means more to me than that and we are in the same squad it would be awkward and a terrible complication if something happened to one of us in battle, so if I had to, Temari because I would rather protect you as a friend than anything else." Shikamaru said in a cold tone, causing Ino to cry and whimper in the same spot she refused to move from in case it sent him mixed signals because Shikamaru wouldn't know the difference.

"Let's go in the hotel, it's to humid out here and not enough clouds. Also I'm kind of tired! Come on Ino!" Shikamaru said to her but she was still frozen, he held her hand and guided her into the hotel to get some sleep.

**There we go Ino and Shika can't work and Ino knows now! **

**It's really sort and didn't get and many people cleared up as I thought but that's the main complication over. Or is it? Maybe and maybe not? **

**Review please it'll help me in future chapters! Thought Ino should stop making so much drama but hey-ho there we have it. It's Ino she can't help it! **

**That was a choice for me as well as Shikamaru! I think it was harder for me though! •-• **


	6. Chapter 6

**How you doing! **

**Sorry I'm not really in a routine yet for posting chapters and stuff, **

**It will most likely become a chapter every weekend but right now I'm not really doing that. **

**For now I'm just typing when I get and idea! **

**Helpful if I also got some ideas from other people. **

**Thanks to some of my friends. Their ideas have been put in. **

**I tried clearing things up with the really awkward love Triangle but it just didn't work out to well I on****l****y just managed to clear up Ino and Shikamaru but never mind I'll fix them as I go now. I got rid of the biggest one.**

**Right enough of actual situations on with the story. **

**Chapter 5. **

The next morning they all woke up in their allocated rooms given to them by Neji who LOVED having the room to himself, Shikamaru shared a room with Shino, I guess it wasn't that bad neither of them really got much sleep anyway so they didn't have to share the one bed for more than a couple of hours.

Ino and Chouji on the other hand had a very interesting night, Ino was happy she was put with Chouji, she liked Chouji, they got on really well and they could talk all night about anything if they didn't want to have to sleep together and, well, that's what they did!

**Flashback. **

"Hey Chouji?" Ino said as she walked into the room cautiously in case it wasn't his room and the guys were playing a prank on her again.

"Yeah, is that you Ino?" Chouji said peering his head around the corner

"Yeah we're sharing a room according to Neji!" Ino said almost whispering,

"Oh yeah I forgot about that, in you come!" Chouji said turning his head back away from the door and then appearing whole body this time, not just a head, round the corner and stared at her. She wasn't moving.

"Well come on in and tell me what Shikamaru had to say." Chouji said sitting on the edge of the bed patting his hand next to him indicating she sat next to him.

"How did you know?" She asked him her pupils growing smaller in fear he knew about the kiss too,

"Don't worry I just overheard Shikamaru talking about it with you at dinner, no one else heard don't worry I made sure of it." Chouji said to her re-assuringly.

"Okay well I guess I can tell you." She said and sat next to him closing the door after she moved forward.

"Begin your story." Chouji said turning to face her straight on and crossing his legs,

"Well I asked him if he had to choose between me or Temari who would he choose?" She started

"Yeah, how did it go what did he say?" Chouji asked curious and concerned at the same time,

There was a slight pause and awkward silence in the air when Ino finally broke it,

"He choose her." She said and stared crying but Chouji, being the supportive friend put his arm around her and let her cry on his shoulder!

"Chouji." Ino started,

"Yeah Ino?" Chouji said looking down at her,

"Thanks for being a good friend to me..." Ino said to him hugging him not daring to move her head from his shoulder.

"Any time Ino, any time." Chouji said smiling even though he know she couldn't see him he still smiled.

**End of flashback. **

Ino woke up almost a little confused as to why the pillow she was lying on smelt so good and why she would have her arms wrapped around it, and why was it breathing?!

_'Wait a minute, pillows don't breathe!' _Ino thought to herself, she lifted her head to see Chouji sleeping and to her surprise not snoring!

"Chouji..." Ino said he voice a little dry and broken,

She coughed and tried again

"Chouji." It was more defined that time and it woke him up and he stared down at her and to her discomfort moved to sit up and as much as she didn't want to let him go she managed to talk herself into it.

"Chouji, were we up all night?" She asked him picking up her phone realizing it was _12:30 _in the afternoon,

"Don't you remember? Silly girl! You said you didn't want to go to sleep because you were to scred in case you kept thinking of Shikamaru and Temari ending up getting together and not with you and that you didn't want to see her in your nightmares and that they were bad enough already so you asked if we could talk until you fell asleep. I just went along with it and if it let you sleep to this time in the day I'm glad I didn't protest against it." Chouji said with a smile.

"What were we talking about..." Ino asked him, looking more concerned than anything else,

"I'll leave that one for you to remember." Chouji said ginning before going into the adjoining bathroom to have a shower!

After his shower she saw Ino sitting on the bed still not changed from where he left he before he went to shower,

"Ino are you alright?" Chouji asked her, sitting next to her,

"Yeah, it's just... Why can't I remember?" Ino asked him, looking up at him

"It's okay if you don't remember. It's actually better you don't, Ino do you remember when we ordered the drinks?"

"Yes."

"Well after that you ordered quite and few more and you were acting different. So I asked what was up and you started loud mouthing off about Shikamaru and Temari, Temari more that Shikamaru I might add but then you were talking about me." Chouji paused.

'_Oh god I didn't, please tell me I didn't!' _Ino kept saying to herself in her head,

"THEN?" Ino shouted at him,

"Try and remember, Ino, please just try." Chouji said to her,

"Okay, I'll try but don't blame me if it doesn't work!" Ino said to him,

"I won't" Chouji answered he staring into her eyes, it was almost like

the time with Shikamaru in the village, except that changed rather quickly when yet again she closed the gap and fell onto his lips!

It wasn't like with Shikamaru he wasn't stopping her or being non co-operative, if anything but that, he went along with it but when she finally broke from him he whispered to her,

"That help you remember?" He smiled and laugh while Ino

just sat there blushing!

_

**That took more words that I thought it would, SORRY about that! **

**Hope it didn't drag on to much! Tried to keep it exciting don't know if I managed or not though! **

**That's Ino and Shikamaru over but are Ino and Chouji a couple or not?**

**Will Ino break the connection and go back for Shikamaru, will she use Chouji to get to him?! **

**Find out in the next Chapter also tell me if I should name the chapters to give you some general idea as to what's going to happen?! **


	7. Chapter 7

**Liking it so far?! **

**Hope it's finally getting somewhere because it started a bit dull. **

**Sorry if this chapter is full of awkward letters in wrong words, it's hard to type with false nails on. **

**Hope you enjoy this chapter sorry if it's to long or to short. **

Chapter 7.

( It's the next night I missed a day for convenience and it'll add more chapters and make it longer and troublesome so I saved you from unnecessary reading!)

_'Finally leaving tomorrow, it took long enough to get here... Should I go talk to the Kazekage and see if anything last minute has changed? Nah. It'll be fine.' _Shikamaru thought to himself while looking at the television not actually paying any attention what so ever as to what was actually happening on the program.

"You look a little out of sorts Shikamaru, mind telling me what;s wrong?" Shino asked him closing the heavy door behind him.

"Oh, it's nothing just thinking about finally getting to go out tomorrow and make sure the Kazekage has a safe journey to where ever he needs to go." Shikamaru said in a monotone back to him,

"Well it's late I'm going to get some sleep. Then again I am not sharing a bed with another male so what's happening there Nara?" Shino asked him in a more serious that joking around tone.

"I'll sleep on the couch and you can take the bed plus I don't think I'll be getting much sleep anyways." he said back turning off the television sitting on the rather uncomfortable couch.

'_This will 100% mess up my back if a get my usual amount of sleep on it... Brilliant. I should be in the bed I'm the one in charge of this mission! Man I hate Shino sometimes but anything beats sharing a room with Ino or Neji would rather be with Chouji! He would give me the bed any day! Wonder how he's doing with Ino. Most likely got a splitting head ache by now. Feel sorry for the guy.' _Shikamaru thought to himself and he uncontrollably fell asleep on the uncomfortable couch.

**The next morning!  **

_'Rise and shine I guess. Time to take the Kazekage to... I expected at this stage to know where we are taking him! Why don't I know? I AM GOING TO GIVE HIM WHAT FOR!' _Shikamaru thought rather angrily to himself as he left the room slamming the door shut and he left.

"Wonder what worked him up." Shino said over looking the destroyed door hinges Shikamaru broke on his way out.

"Hey Gaara, mind telling me where we are actually going?!" Shikamaru said walking through the door into his office, to find he was walking in on Temari and Gaara talking but all he heard from their conversation was "Get it all in place _if_ necessary" but he wasn't paying that much attention to be bothered noticing he picked it up but the back of his mind knew and maybe that would be important later in life, but he didn't know that yet.

"Of course, there is a small village two days away from the sand that are actually still classed as a 'sand village' and they haven't actually been informed that Gaara is the knew Kazekage so we have to go and tell them and he needs to make an appearance so they can trust him and stuff but the problem is to get there we need to pass one of the other 'sand villages' and they absolutely HATE Gaara and disprove his leadership and I'm scared when we pass through they attack him and try to take him down. That's why you guys are here." Explained Temari giving Shikamaru a suggestive look but Shikamaru being a lazy guy didn't pick up on it.

"So when do we head off?" Shikamaru asked him straight up, it didn't seem rude it was sort of what he went for.

"We will be heading shortly. Get your team ready in 5 minutes and then we are leaving." Gaara said to him walking out with Temari, whom gave Shikamaru a wink on her way out.

"Get going Shika." Temari said cutely towards him,

"Right, I guess I should be going. See you guys in 5." Shikamaru said to them almost like he was in a trance and left the building in the same manner he replied.

**After gathering the team.**

"Is that everyone here?" Shikamaru asked looking round.

"Temari"

"Neji"

"Shino"

"Chouji"

"Gaara"

"Kankuro"

"Where's INO?" Shikamaru yelled a little concerned.

" She said she would catch up and watch out backs in case of a secret attack from behind!" Temari said in such an innocent way it made Shikamaru believe her.

"Makes sense, good thinking Ino. More brains than I thought she had." Shikamaru though aloud.

"Yeah, good for Ino now let's go." Temari said a little pissed off but with sarcasm so people didn't think she wanted to kill her by the end of that sentence but would she go that far to get her out the way?

_'It's not like Ino to think that far ahead and certianly not with help, someone wanted her out of the way, ut of my way. Was it Temari? Would she really go this far? What's possibly going on in that little head of hers right now? Can I stop it? Can I convince her to leave her alone? Can I convice her I love her more than Ino? Considering I turned her down? She threw my girlfriend off a cliff once... Would she really do it again?! Was It Chouji so I didn't fall in love with her! He was petty cool about the whole thing. What could possibly be going on in his head.? Was Gaara jeleous and decided he wanted her so took her and captured her?! So many possibilities. What in Gods name is going on around here and when the hell is Ino?!' _

"Right if Ino is actually by her own choice staying back. Let's get going on our way to the next village." Shikamaru said walking out of the gates of the sand into a world unknown.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Sorry this is taking a little longer than I though it would. **_

_**Had so much to do! **_

_**Anyway the story continues with Shikamaru leaving with the Kazekage to the unknown village! **_

_**Hope you enjoy and feel free to review I don't mind! **_

_**Even if it is knit-picking! :) **_

_**By the way I missed a day nothing would have happened anyway so it's the first night after heading out. **_

_Chapter 8. _

"It's later and we should be at least halfway by now so let's set up camp here for the night." Shikamaru said to the rest of them who all looked a lot more exhausted than he did except Temari who was still bursting with energy like usual.

"Shikamaru it's not that late besides I'm not tired!" Temari snapped back him,

" You troublesome woman, it's not my fault everyone else looks shattered besides camp won't take to long to set up and after that is you're still full of energy I need to talk to you!" Shikamaru said flashing her a quick wink afterwards.

"Okay then?" Temari said questioning his choice to do this but he looked certain about this, it sort of worried Temari.

**After setting up camp. **

_'I wonder if she'll even show up and what the hell was I even thinking telling her to meet me. I have nothing in particular I even want to say to her! Hell I didn't even want to talk to her after my assumptions on Ino. INO! That's it I'll ask her about Ino she won't be able to answer any of my questions on her and I'll tell her I turned Ino down and if she's behind this to put and end to it because Ino and I aren't anything more than friends. That's it. Like usual good last minute thinking Shikamaru!" _Shikamaru thought to himself smirking at the idea of coming up with something quite arranged last minute.

"Hey Shika!" Temari shouted towards Shikamaru who jumped at her sudden appearance breaking the silence that was helping him think of another excuse to getting her out here.

"Oh. Hey Temari, so it's about Ino..." He starts with but Temari being Temari interupts him

"Shikamaru! I thought it was something interesting or important at the least I though we would have talked about, well you know... '_us'_ we were so happy together I didn't mean to cut the chord like that it was Gaara being annoying and saying that in our village we weren't allowed to work long distance you being from the leaf and all! Please can we not talk about Ino. She'll be fine." Temari said in a comforting voice.

"What do you mean _'She'll be fine.'_ there wasn't any mention on her being in any sort of trouble before now. Temari I swear if you've done anything to Ino that could effect this mission..."

"Oh, calm down Shika your girlfriends fine!" Temari cut him off,

" We aren't a couple, how many times do I have to explain this? We are not a couple she wanted to be but I turned her down because Ino is my best friend and we came from the same squad and we have a pretty dramatic history together but if someone's life was put on the line a little like it is now I suppose when I DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE IS! Then we would hesitate to make a choice and mess up a lot. Can't risk that right now but I was planning on talking to her about it when we returned!" Shikamaru said dulling his tone down and looking her dead in the eye giving her shivers down her spine, she's never seen him so worked up like this before.

"Shikamaru, she'll be fine, she only went a bit ahead to look out for us. She'll be setting up her own camp and getting ready to head down to sleep as well- Let... Let's... Go..." Temari said pausing and breaking up at the end of her sentence.

"Temari what's wrong?" Shikamaru asked her getting closer in case it was some sort of physical or brain damage or something making her like this or maybe she was just spacing out being Temari when he heard faint faint footsteps but in the middle of a desert it could be anything not technically a person. Maybe just one of the gang walking about... Running about... Getting faster... Okay it wasn't one of them...

"Temari sorry to cut this short but those footsteps aren't friendly. Let's get back and warm the others." Shikamaru said pulling at her arm but she wouldn't move, she was frozen completely stuck where she was, staring into the distance..

" Temari come on before they get us. Temari... Temari what's wrong?" Shikamaru said standing in front of her trying to get her attention onto him not the sand in front of her.

"Look..." She said quietly lifting her arm pointing straight towards the group of 5 heading towards them.

"Temari that's what I'm saying now let's go!" Shikamaru wasn't taking this she could get hurt, he lifted her up and carried her back to to tents.

"Guys people from the opposite direction are heading towards us. Do any of you know have any information on this?" Shikamaru asked looking straight towards Gaara and Kankuro.

"Nothing." Gaara simply replied

"Bet it's that other village trying to catch us off guard!" Kankuro added

"Well then me and Neji will check it out first." Shikamaru said to him sternly before causing any more confusion with who is actually leading this mission.

"Okay I'll stay here and what the hell did you do to Temari?" He asked him while staring at what was a lifeless Temari lying on the floor of the tent still pointing...

"Nothing she froze when the people were coming over I guess it spooked her that's all." Shikamaru added and Left with Neji because any more was asked.

"Neji you check it out I'll watch your back" Shikamaru said.

Neji nodded and shouted "Byakugan!"

Moving his head around looking everywhere making sure not to miss anywhere he sees them.

"There is 6 of them in total but one of them is either injured or staying hidden on the main guys back, two of them haven't ever used their chakra flow network for anything other that basic genjutsu that all of us here could see through. So they aren't a problem but the other ones are they are bigger built that all of us and have extreme chakra I think only Gaara alone could match their chakra or Naruto's nine tail fox chakra could match it. They surpass us on our own we would need a better team to take them on Kankuro could outsmart them I suppose while another attacks but that's the best we have for them." Neji told him.

"That's all we have on it then, 6 of them 5 more likely going to want to fight but 2 only know genjutsu and the others are most likely going to go on pure strength and have chakra flow? Brilliant. I'll go tell the rest keep yourself hidden and keep an eye on them." Shikamaru said running back to the tent.

"Kankuro you may be needed after all, Chouji remember don't use the red ball. As for everyone else do me a favour and stay alive. Gaara stay with Temari unless we really really need you." Shikamaru added but just in time because not shortly afterwards he heard Neji shouting

"Shikamaru there's something you need. Out here now!" Neji shouted loud enough to get to the tent but not enough for the enemy to hear him,

"Yes Neji what is it?" Shikamaru asking him.

"I found Ino."

"WHAT?" Shikamaru rose his voice a little louder than usual.

"She's with them. She was the one on the back, the must have seen her away from the group and Ino being Ino they must have taken advantage of her being alone and took her hostage." Neji said assuming that Shikamaru had already some to some sort of mental idea like that already.

"Ino wouldn't get caught up like that. Is she hurt?" Shikamaru asking him doubting she was actually okay after all, was Temari lying?

"Some damage just cuts nothing critical or life threatening she should be fine but if she isn't tended to in the next couple of days she could be in some danger of never walking again." Neji said trying to keep his emotions from affecting his Byakugan.

"Okay so kick their ass and get Ino back. Doesn't seen like that bad a plan!" Shikamaru said grinning

"Shikamaru don't go jumping into things she's fine we need to tell the others and wait for them to make their first move." Neji said confused as to why Shikamaru was so eager to go, he hated fighting it was to troublesome apparently,

"Back to the tent then?" Shikamaru look at him with worry in his eyes

"Yes. Don't worry she'll be fine." Neji said putting his arm around his back and pulling him back to the tent making sure they weren't seen.

"So, I guess they have Ino then." Shino said looking at Neji

"How did you know?" Neji said to him

"Isn't it obvious not to mention I have secrets behind these glasses you know." Shino answered him

"Obvious how?" Shikamaru asked him,

"Well for starters Ino hates being on her own especially in a mission she was always worried about it at school, if I remember rightly and she's always loved being with you and Chouji considering you guys have been a team for so long so she would never be choice go a head even after what happened between you two because I heard Chouji like always make it better and he certainly wouldn't let her go ahead given the facts that I maybe shouldn't reveal until after this mission and Temari hasn't been able to wipe that grin off her face since we got here until she saw those guys."

Shino said staring at the top of the tent.

"You think they put her up for this?" Chouji said

"Maybe, it's a possibility." Shino said back.

"That would explain the leg." Neji added,

"Let's just save her and ask her then." Shikamaru added, "Right now the Kazekage is our mission and we will see it through."

However it wasn't long until in the distance they hear someone shouting "Let's get this started!" and the sand gave way beneath their feet...

**Sorry that took so long I was trying to get a good stopping point but I couldn't stop and since it took so long now I need to add an extra chapter. **

**Yipee! **

**Reviews please and tell me how I'm doing! **

**Anything I should add, stop doing or keep doing?! **


	9. Chapter 9

**How's it going? **

**Enjoying it so far? **

**Review , review and review some more! :3 **

**Sorry if that last chapter was a bit... LONG! **

_Chapter 9. _

The ground gave way beneath their feet.

All of them being used to basic genjutsu like this in training at the academy immediately shouted "Release" and were free from the trap, Gaara had to release Temari as naturally she was still sort of frozen.

"Keep your guard up they have a pretty good well varied squad ready for anything so protect Gaara and Temari!" Shikamaru said making his point clear to all in the tent.

"If you're looking to get a fair one on one battle without them at the advantage I suggest getting out the tent." Shino said summoning his bugs to disintegrate the tent leaving them in the open for all to see from any direction also putting them in the situation where they can also see anyone and everyone around them.

Or so they thought,

"Where are they?" Chouji asked looking around

"Byakugan." Neji whispered looking around and then de-activated it when there wasn't anyone actually there.

"They are gone? After a simple Genjutsu like that one?" Neji asked confused at this.

"Unless we are still in the genjutsu..." Shino started

Everyone just turned around and stared at him with confusion and doubt,

"This genjutsu could be one on top of another that's why two of their team are genjutsu users and nothing else, the first one is obvious as it wasn't a danger before we left and Gaara, Kankuro and Temari would have known what to do if it was real and they released at the same time as us so that was obvious but what if the genjutsu was making us think we were in a genjutsu when actually we weren't and we are actually in life danger but in a genjutsu right NOW!" Shino explained.

"Oh my God that's genius." Shikamaru though aloud,

"Would a basic release hand sign make that go away Shino?" Chouji asked him now thinking he should have been made a chounin as well as Shikamaru,

"Let's try shall we." Shino said, "Release"

He woke up and relased the rest of them from the genjutsu,

"If it wasn't real then why couldn't I see with my Byakugan?" Neji asked him.

"I'm not sure, maybe the other guys chakra put it off and made it seem real enough to trick it temporarily because you didn't hold it very long." Shino thought aloud slightly under his breath but Neji still heard him,

"That would take phenomenal amounts of chakra though, is that even possible?!" Neji said staring to activate his...

"BYAKUGAN!"

"Neji no need to shout" Chouji said trying to calm down Neji,

"Not de-activating it this time they aren't getting me again!" Neji said angrily,

"Neji this is what they want, they want to wind you up and get you like this putting you on edge, just calm down. Shikamaru what's the plan?" Chouji asked him only to notice he wasn't there.

"Shikamaru?"

"Sh-Shikamaru"  
"SHIKAMARU" Chouji just kept shouting louder and louder in hopes his missing friend would hear him but he already could?

"Chouji geez shut up already pal I'm right here." Shikamaru said looking round discovering he was in a different room and it was him and Temari lying on the floor, when a big buy walks up to them both,

"Well, well, well what do we have here boys?!" He says looking around when Shikamaru notices the other four people next to him forming a line, not only a line, a pretty straight one,

_'not this again, I won't fall for it twice.' _Shikamaru thought releasing himself with so much anger held within him right now breaking all four genjutsu's at once..

"Which one of them did it?" Shikamaru heard a familiar voice ask on of the guys

"That funny hair cut one, the chounin." A distant voice answered her,

"Leave him to me then." that familiar voice answered back again, while they were talking Shikamaru managed d to send some sort of secret to Neji to look at Temari's body with Byakugan using some hand thing they developed when they were all little kids,

"So Temari mind telling us why you're doing this?" Shikamaru asked the voices with no faces after Neji answered him

"Well done Nara. How did you know?" She answered him,

"One the voice and two Neji." Shikamaru said Grinning,

"Well done." She said smirking back and moving closer to him.

***poof* **

the clone she made then froze disappeared in a cloud of white smoke like stuff,

"As you know there is four of us and 6 of you. Choose who is going to have and extra person and we will challenge you. Go! In case you wonder later one was a shadow clone to fool you into thinking there was five of us." Temari said looking down at them while they all got together.

"Well one of the big guys is going to go for Gaara so Neji go with him. With your Byakugan and his chakra you can be prepared for most anything. Kankuro you're with me because Chouji has his food pills that are over sized and Shino is a better Gennin than I am Chounin and passed me in many aspects so he'll be fine but wait a minute..." Shikamaru finally pauses and thinks about this "Temari, you said there was four of you. That's including yourself yes?" Shikamaru asked expecting the worst,

"Yes, Shika-Chan that's right." Temari said cutely,

"You'll be fighting as well then?" He asked her again,

"That'll also be right Shika-Chan you're smarter than I remember!" Temari said teasingly.

"Okay that settles it."

"3"

"2"

"1"

"NOW!"

Shikamaru shouted whilst everyone got up and went at them while Shikamaru stood and when they were about to make contact Shikamaru disappeared into thin air?

_'Where did that lazy boy get to?' _Temari kept asking herself watching two of her men on the floor dead already, _'Told them not to go after Gaara first!' _She though still looking for Shikamaru whom after the last man fell Shikamaru released the whole team from the shadow possession jutsu and the genjutsu they were all in except Temari.

"Hey again guys, well done." Shikamaru said smiling holding Ino in his arms.

"INO!" Chouji screamed and took her off Shikamaru and took her into his arms and held her close "She's still alive! Neji get over here!" Chouji had never sounded happier in his life to be with her despite the fact she was actually asleep.

"That's- That-That isn't- Possible." Temari stuttered through her trembling lips

"Look like we outsmarted you Temari!" Shino said but where did you put Kankuro and Gaara?!" Shino asked her,

"They are still in the tents. They were clones the whole time as well. How did you? Why did you? That's not... Where are we now?! Temari asked them all,

Neji naturally answered he wanted a smart moment now,

"We are in the forest look behind you..." she turned round while he continued explaining, " when you took us in your first genjutsu we released it immediately and were still in the first one but you made it look like we released by changing our location to the front of the tent to hold the jutsu together whilst you noticed Gaara and Kankuro would get in the way you knocked them out and released them that's when you needed more people, who were actually clones to help you because you couldn't hold it up one against us all. So you made the perfect team to make us think we had no chance but your jutsu fell apart when you got us to split up it took much chakra to hold up that's when Shikamaru figured out it was all you and needed me to confirm it for him once I did, he shadow possessed you therefore giving him control of the jutsu and putting us at the advantage of being able to make it look like we were winning because with Shikamaru in charge he held your clones and you still allowing us to take them down but we didn't show you them disappearing because it would have been to easy to we stopped the shadow possession at the same time as the jutsu so seeing them 'die' in real life was almost a split second ahead of the jutsu so it looked like it happened in the sand land when it didn't." Neji explained feeling very impressed with himself,

"God, no wonder Tenten loves you, you understood it all. Good one Neji!" Chouji said to him causing them all to look at him,

"Oh, Neji and Tenten go out by the way guys!" Chouji added at the end, Neji blushing and looking way was Shino's hint to take over explaining,

"Tenten aside, you were getting what you wanted until Shikamaru took over. All you need to know is if that was a real fight you would have been more dead than your clones over there and now all we need to know is why you did it all? Also why involve Gaara and Kankuro into it all?!" Shino asked her raising his voice,

"She involved us in case you idiots actually tried to kill her. That's all she said to us was _'look I'm going to play a trick on our leaf ninja if my life's close to ending save me but don't actually kill them' _that was all we were told but we were tied up and couldn't release you." Kankuro explained.

"Fine. I'll tell you..." Temari started..." It all started back in the leaf... That was when I first saw... When I first saw I was different...In a whole different way..."


	10. Chapter 10

**Ugh. **

**THAT TOOK FOREVER! **

**Also sorry if it was a little bit confusing but it's going to be a LOT clearer in this chapter. **

**Well for readers not Shikamaru or Neji or Chouji. Maybe a little for me... Who knows? **

**Well that's enough with boring real stuff let's get back to the story!**

_Chapter 10. _

So Temari started her story...

"It was when I first went to the leaf. I was looking around for my first time when we were taking the chounin exams and we were trying to kill the Hokage and everything was rather dramatic then after me and Kankuro and Gaara left the village we went back to check on everything and I could still see the Hokage after he died. I could still hear him, not like Naruto could in his head imagining it all up, I could actually see him, hear him, touch him, everything, I felt his sorrow and pain and suffering and then when I came back to Suna it was the same I thought I was a creep who could see the dead but apparently it's normal for people who have to kill or are told to kill people who have done no true evil or suffering the see them for a while after death. It's normal but Naruto is completely nuts." Temari started... " Then when I had to go back to the leaf to assist on a mission, I met you... Shikamaru" she said while looking up at his completely befuddled face "It was you who managed to save me from all the dead. The lady said once you fall in love you forget because your heart and brain only focus on one thing after that and the dead aren't your only friends because in Suna me being the sister of the Kazekage and me going to murder anyone who came close to me, I didn't have friends and Mom died and Dad left and it was me and my brothers who never stopped fighting and then I had to deal with it so to see everyone happy with their friends in the Leaf was... amazing... It was you though, when all the other kids were mean to Chouji, you were there and stood up for him, took his fights and yelled his words because he wouldn't. You were the nicest of them all, you would be there for Naruto even when your parents told you to stay away from him. You got involved with everyone and never stopped being supportive for anyone and always there to back someone up. I loved it! No one was ever like that to me and because I never really left home I didn't get to see friendship like that and then we started talking and it was amazing. I looked up to you for anything and everything but whenever I went home to Suna it wouldn't work, I still couldn't find friends and because we were long distance friends it was hard keeping each other close but was really good having someone to go back to, someone who I loved and I thought loved me back and we were an item then we were more than freinds" Temari paused to catch her breath " Then one year I went back and I thought _'you know what we are a couple now you can't forget me what am I talking about of course you will remember me and take me in your arms and tell me you missed me while Chouji just laughs and eats his crisps with Naruto just laughing at us in the background' _but that didn't happen because you were friends with _her_ and it broke my heart I couldn't see you with her because she made you so happy and angry and annoyed at the same time, that was my job and after that I didn't want us to break up but then again I couldn't see you with her." Temari was cracking up now and was almost in tears but she still continued " It wasn't fair but I hadn't realized when I was with you I didn't see the dead, ever. They were gone but when I felt I was forgetting you and getting worked up in Suna they would come back clearer and clearer every single day of my life. Then I thought I was nuts but I wasn't I just missed you because I haven't kill a thousand different versions of _you" _she said looking up at Shikamaru. "Then until recently the dead were there but when we were going to the neighbouring village to help them like Gaara a little more I wanted help so I could get you back by my side and the dead would be gone. Then you brought Ino. That one person I couldn't see you with, since I felt jealous and I knew she would get annoyed if I got close to you so I played her to my advantage to get rid of her and get me back in the picture. I missed you and hated the dead wearing your face it made me worry and think something had happened to you." Temari was totally bucketing it now Shikamaru couldn't believe what he was hearing, Temari after all this time still loved him as much as he loved her all these years.

"Temari... I had no idea..." Shikamaru said to her walking up to her and taking her into his arms and holding her close while she rested her head into his right collar bone area, just like she used to and he still felt the same and smelt the same and everything was amazing and Chouji was there in the background with his chips but instead of Naruto laughing at her she had her brother doing that. Both of them, _'same as ever those two' _Temari thought to herself wrapping her arms around this pineapple boy and everyone just stared at them with heart-warming eyes and heats full of sorrow and emotion from Temari's previous let out of feelings.

Neji had NO IDEA what was going one because he was just so anti-social and always busy training he didn't ever bother himself with these thing but after seeing Temari like that he's just had a million flashbacks on what he should have done when Tenten was a little like that. _'Hug her when she looks like crying... Easy enough to remember I guess... Why does it comfort them, it's just being close to someone and ruining an perfectly good piece of ninja wear because of her tears?! I don't get girls, how can Tenten deal with me, I know nothing of love and romance and all this hugging and nonsense.' _Neji thought to himself trying to figure it all out and Shino noticing his discomfort went over to him and whispered to him "Don't worry I don't get it either..." This made Neji grin a little but he couldn't laugh it would spoil it.

"Temari, you silly girl..." Shikamaru started before closing the little distance between them as they were hugging not a lot of space at all. Making their lips meat no matter what Temari did to stop it after the story she wouldn't dare loose this chance so before anything happened she would live to regret she parted them and stared into his eyes when he finished his sentence

" You were never out the picture..." He said smiling and fell to the ground when Temari jumped on him and rubbed her face into his chest and she didn't care if it ruined it or if it brought the dead back she had to say to him, still keeping her head in his chest,

"I love you Shika-Chan and I never want to loose you again!" She said closing her eyes allowing more tears through.

"When you come back to our village with us you won't be able to loose me" Shikamaru said to her looking into her eyes but she felt him look deeper almost into her soul touching it with his soft grip and taking it into his possesion and she was going to let him, their stare stayed for about 2 minutes when she broke the stare and asked him

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked him almost confused.

"You are going to live in the leaf after my appearance." Gaara said interrupting the silence.

"I'm...I'm...I'm what?!" Temari said with dis-belief because when they were younger her brothers always teased her about this sort of thing and for Aprils fools would send her letters from the "Hokage" letting her move there but they didn't know it was their fault she saw him after death because of that.

"They aren't kidding Tema. You're coming to our household with us and we'll always be together." Shikamaru added holding the side of her face, stroking her jawline with his thumb.

She rose and hugged both her brothers

"I LOVE YOU GUYS!" Temari shouted at them and when she finally let them go her and Shikamaru when back to the tent for a good nights sleep before taking Gaara to the village to appear before people and be liked.

Neji and Shino still confused as ever as to what actually just happened,

Gaara and Kankuro talking about how well they actually thought out letting her live was Shikamaru,

Chouji carrying Ino into the tent and laying her down next to him in their tent and as for Shikamaru and Temari, they walked back together,

Hand-in-hand, in the desert moonlight.

**Sorry that went no-where but I said ShikaTema so there you go. **

**Some ShikaTema some confused Neji and Shino and a supportive Chouji. **

**Review please. Not specifically on this chapter there are better ones. :) **


	11. Chapter 11

**Like I said sorry that last chapter went nowhere fast but you know I hadn't had many Shikamaru and Temari stuff so I put a chapter in for that. **

**Sorry! **

**This chapter will get somewhere a bit faster than the last one. **

**So here's the next chapter. **

_Chapter 11 _

After a good night of sleep they all awoke from their tents,

Shikamaru with Temari,

Chouji with Ino,

Kankuro with Gaara

and

Shino with Neji?!

(Well they had to share with someone)

They all gathered outside the tents and decided to pack everything up and be on their way,

"Hey, Chouji is Ino awake yet?" Shikamaru asked him slightly worried about her,

"Yeah she was up for a it last night but then she just dyed down again and still hasn't moved but she is freezing cold and for the desert, that's rare even for Ino. They must have done something to her and she's the only medical ninja on our squad." Chouji explained,

"Well I'm going in to see her then." Shikamaru said pulling him along with him,

"Shikamaru what will Temari think?"

"Ino is my friend I was told she wasn't in danger. She evidently was and now she's in trouble so I'm going to try to help." Shikamaru said sternly, a tone he didn't use often,

Temari walked back into the tent to get ready for the next day journey to get to the village of the sand they didn't know counted as their village and started packing up the tent when she realized that this was Shikamaru's tent, shouldn't he be the one clearing all this up?

_'I am going to give him what for when I see him making me clean up this tent? What was he thinking I wouldn't notice he is trying to get me to be a proper girly girlfriend who cleans up his mess and looks after him like his mother would. NO CHANCE!' _

"Shika-Chan... Can you help me with the tent?" Temari said exiting the tent looking for him,

only to realize he wasn't there?

"Hey, Shino do you know where Shikamaru is?" Temari said walking up to him,

"He went into Chouji's tent something is wrong with Ino and he's pissed." Neji answered for him,

"I asked Shino." Temari bit back at him,

"Stop your bickering and pack up." Shino said to them.

"Fine and thanks Neji." Temari said and went into the tent,

"What's up Shikamaru you've been gone a while?" Temari asked him,

"Something is wrong with Ino." Shikamaru simply said to her,

"What do you mean?" Temari asked innocently, giving a genuine fake smile to make it looked like she cared,

"She isn't waking up and she's freezing. What did you do to her." Shikamaru asked her,

"I didn't do anything. What are you talking about?" Temari asked him

"You know fine well what I'm talking about. She has scars all up her legs and she has red lines down her face.. They will fade eventually but the rest won't!" Shikamaru said getting a little pissed off at her lies, her obvious lies.

"I still don't know what you're talking about. I'll get Kankuro in to look at her he knows a little about medical stuff he took the basic course last year before Gaara became Kazekage in case something ever happened to him." Temari said and ran out the tent,

"You're going to be fine Ino." Chouji said leaning over her lifeless body kissing her forehead

"Kankuro something is wrong with Ino come look." Temari shouted pulling him over,

"Her legs are so badly damaged she may not be able to walk again but I can't see what's wrong with her eyes." Kankuro explained,

"Ever be able to walk again?" Chouji asked him

"It depends on when she gets treated..." Kankuro said seriously back at him,

"Chouji you take her back to the leaf and we will guard the Kazekage." Shikamaru said to him pointing back to the direction of the leaf village,

"You sure? Tsunade wouldn't be to happy if you sent two of us back!" Chouji said to him with fear in his eyes because she scared him,

"Well I don't care Ino is in trouble and I am her friend as as leader of this mission I order you to send her back to the hospital to get treated to." Shikamaru said to him grinning,

"Plus you are worried about her and I can't have my best friends girlfriend in critical danger in the middle of the desert. Take her back.. Get going I'll take the tent. To the next village and back."

"You serious?" Chouji asked him,

"Yup now go." Shikamaru said smiling,

Chouji picked her carefully and ran back to the village.

**A couple of hours later. **

Tents all packed and they could already see the next village within reach and they were on their guard as they walking through the gates to the small village but everything was fine and they couldn't wait to hear him make his speech and explain how good he was and to be honest they all seemed to eager to hear and meet him for their presence to even be necessary.

"This could have all been a set up for him and Temari..." Neji said to Shino watching everyone love the fact Gaara was actually there.

"Yes but at least Gaara isn't at any real risk here." Shino said back to him,

"At least." Neji said to him half convinced that it was real enough to be such a cheerful environment,

"Thank you guys for escorting me here, I knew Temari was over-reacting about this, if they are one of our villages they are bound to not be that bothered, to see me." Gaara said prying one of the many girls clinging to his arm insisting they marry them.

"You are welcome, call us if you need us again, when are you planning on going back and we'll take you back to the main sand village?" Neji asked him,

"It's fine you guys can head they already accept me but I want to spend time here with Kankuro we came here as kids sometimes when we ran away and it would send Temari up the wall, so we are spending some time here before going home and I think we are safe here except for the girls but we can handle them." Gaara said blushing a bit,

"If you're sure." Shikamaru said to him looking at his face...

_'God I didn't think Gaara could smile, let alone blush... These girls aren't even that cute, I wonder what he though or was holding back when Ino arrived. Hmmmm... He's certainly one mystery to me...' _Shikamaru thought to himself,

"Yes. I'm sure plus we wouldn't want anything to happen to Ino so get back and let us know how she's doing." Gaara said turning away and walking with Kankuro not giving them the chance to answer back saying "no" and they were all left standing not really knowing what to do.

"Well some of the girls are eyeing up Neji, so maybe we should go back." Shikamaru said playfully and joking around.

"Shut up." Neji said turning around ready to actually leave them,

"Am I leaving with you guys or what?" Temari asked looking at Shikamaru expecting him to answer,

"Whatever suits you, I'm heading the now so if you want might as well. Makes is easier" Shikamaru said turning around and started walking away from the three standing who all fallowed him and they headed back full speed ahead to get back to Konoha to get to Ino but Temari was ginning again...

_'Nothing good ever comes from that grin... She had the same one on just before we were caught up in her genjutsu attacks. I wonder what the woman's up to, if she's done anything to Ino I am going to kill her and if she doesn't wipe that grin of her face I'm going to ask her up front what's going on with her. I swear she better start explaining all this soon otherwise I am going to crack up at her, I mean I hated Ino when we were kids but now we are older I will admit to anyone I like her, she's one off my friends and she's saved me and I've saved her so many times and Chouji so it's all going to be fine if Kankuro predicted wrongly but if he hasn't and she can't walk. She'll be heart-broken...' _Shikamaru thought to himself looking at her running and grinning at the same time.

_'What's she up to..." _

"_WAIT. Would she really go that far?! Would she?" _

_Only one way to find out." _

"RELEASE!"


	12. Chapter 12

**Enjoying it so far?**

**It's most likely going to take another chapter to get this finished with... **

**Wondering what to do next... Any suggestions? **

**Thinking of another Naruto one... What couple though... Will I just stick with Shikamaru and Temari?! **

**I don't know... **

**Whatever I'm still writing this one... Back to the story. **

_Chapter 12._

_'Nothing good ever comes from that grin... She had the same one on just before we were caught up in her genjutsu attacks. I wonder what the woman's up to, if she's done anything to Ino I am going to kill her and if she doesn't wipe that grin of her face I'm going to ask her up front what's going on with her. I swear she better start explaining all this soon otherwise I am going to crack up at her, I mean I hated Ino when we were kids but now we are older I will admit to anyone I like her, she's one off my friends and she's saved me and I've saved her so many times and Chouji so it's all going to be fine if Kankuro predicted wrongly but if he hasn't and she can't walk. She'll be heart-broken...' _Shikamaru thought to himself looking at her running and grinning at the same time.

_'What's she up to..." _

"_WAIT. Would she really go that far?! Would she?" _

Only one way to find out."

"RELEASE!"

Shikamaru awoke to find he was in the leaf hospital?

_'What happened? I was running with Neji, Shino and Temari to get back to Ino in the leaf hospital? Now I'm in the leaf hospital... What's wrong with me...?' _

Shikamaru looked down at his body that was covered in badages covering deep wounds evidently from some form of gutsu those aren't normal kunai wounds...

_'What happened to the rest of my team..' _

He lifted his head to find himself staring at the rest of his team mates in their own hospital bed apart from Chouji, Ino was lying next to him in a separate bed though with her own equipment keeping her alive...

_'What the hell is going on here? That's Ino, I am me, There is Shino and Neji... Where's Chouji and was this whole mission a big genjutsu?! Was it that troublesome woman again... I swear I can't believe I thought she was innocent in all this... This mission wasn't about us getting together. It was about killing us all?! That's why Kankuro and Gaara left they knew what she was up to so she forced them to leave or she would trick them into it all too... This is bad but given my condition I can't release them... I could barley release me and waking up was a struggle. What do I do?' _

"Ino..." Shikamaru tried to get her to wake up so he could know she was all right and if she was in it from the start she could release them or help him do it,

"Ino..." His voice was weary so it would be a miracle if she could hear him but he heard footsteps coming along the corridor... Who was it? Who could possibly be here? Everyone is... CHOUJI!

_'Oh God... If Chouji walks in to see all of us here he'll totally panic and freak plus if he's bringing Ino... Chouji... Please don' t be you..." _

Shikamaru kept repeating in his head over and over and over and the footsteps got closer and closer and faster and faster coming down the corridor.

"Shikamaru! You worried me!" Chouji said to him unplugging him from the machine,

"Chouji... Ino..." Shikamaru managed to say before he was sitting and drinking the water Chouji brought him.

"She's fine man, no need to worry the rest of them just need to wake up and they'll be fine..." Chouji started explaining to him

" You see when you guys all released the last genjutsu, the biggest one not the one just there that Temari put up with the Shadow clones and then you took it over? It took a lot of energy out of you all, you more than the rest so me and Sakura and Ino put all of you under a sort of medical genjutsu to take your minds off the healing process to make it less of a '_drag' _for you all to deal with. Not a surprise you figured it out but it wasn't Temari this time, I guess she really is just happy to be coming here." Chouji said smiling but he could tell Shikamaru still didn't understand what he was saying to him.

"What..I don't..." Shikamaru tried to think it through but couldn't make sense of it all,

"Dude, you were all in critical condition it was needed." Chouji said rubbing his back.

"Okay..." Shikamaru said actually understanding it slightly now,

"I'll leave you to get dressed then." Chouji said handing him his clothes he then stood and left him,

**After getting dressed**

"Chouji I'm done and my chakra seems to be back at a normal level but these wounds are agony..." Shikamaru said to Chouji as he came in and sat at the end of Ino's bed holding her hand,

"I'm happy you guys are all alright and Ino can still walk after this no need to worry." Chouji said changing his stare from Ino to Shikamaru who clearly still didn't understand what was actually going on.

"Need me to explain it again Shikamaru?" Chouji said leaning forward to see if he was maybe just staring off into space or something, he does that a lot,

"If it wouldn't be to much trouble man." Shikamaru said sitting on his own bed looking at him.

"Well basically you guys were under Temari's genjutsu then when you thought you released it was still part of the genjutsu to make it look like you had, after that you had to change where we were all standing to make the jutsu easier to hold up because they would over lap each other and make a mini paradox sort of thing. Understand that bit Shikamaru?"

"Yeah... I get that bit." Shikamaru said

"Okay, after that genjutsu there was the big one, with the clones and what not, then after you took it over you collapsed after releasing it making it look like everyone on Temari's side died, that's when me and Sakura took over and brought you all back to the leaf hospital and put you under their _'medical genjutsu' _just to keep you all stable, Temari had nothing to do with this and is in the other ward because her injuries and conditions are a lot worse than yours all were so we kept her separate?" Chouji continued

"What on Earth is a _'medical genjutsu'?" _Shikamaru asked him

"It's nothing and I don't understand it you would need to ask Sakura or Ino that one" Chouji said laughing,

**After everyone woke up**

"Hey." Shikamaru said looking at his friends who were finally dressed and patched up

"Shino, Neji, Chouji, Temari, Sakura and Ino, so are we in the Leaf village right now?" Shikamaru asked Chouji,

"Yes, we are home." Chouji said smiling

"Finally, so we just go, no medical advice telling us to _'take it easy' _or anything?" Shikamaru said looking at Sakura and Ino,

"Fine... Only 'cause you asked but Lady Tsunade said you guys were smart enough to know but I guess if you need it... Take it easy and don't push yourselves guys..." Sakura said smiling opening the door for them.

"Come on Ino I need to talk to you a minute." Chouji said taking her hand and pulling her away through the hospital door, Ino didn't complain just laughed and went along with it...

"NEJI!" Tenten screamed as she ran up to him she was about to stop in front of him and mouth off at him for being away so long but the minute she saw him in that amount of bandages she was about to cry but Neji didn't let her stop he just pulled her against her and put his arms around her and whispered in her ear, lowering his head (because he is taller) said to her

"I love you Tenten." he lifted his head, looking into her eyes as he smiled but that wasn't enough for Tenten she just grabbed his cheeks with her hands and pulled him into her, kissing him as she did so,

"I love you too Neji... Don't EVER leave me like that again and stop getting hurt." Tenten said giggling leaving the hospital holding his hand refusing to let go until he was better in case he got hurt,

"Hey Crybaby." Temari said clinging onto his arm "Ready to show me where I'll be staying for the next while, hopefully it's not in the hospital..." said said laughing while walking away from Sakura "That's for looking after me and Shika-Chan here, see you around!" Temari said waving,

"Shino... What did she mean _'living' _?" Sakura asked him,

"Her brothers decided it would be best if she lived here but because they don't know who to trust from here they told Tsunade she would be living with Shikamaru until she or they got their own place." Shino explained walking away

"I'll walk you back Shino, you shouldn't be alone after your injuries." Sakura said smiling walking after him trying to get him to spill details on the mission that was more than they put in for.

**1 week later. **

Everyone was healed it was fantastic,

" Hey guys how's it going?" Sakura asked walking up to Shino, Neji, Shikamaru, Tenten, Temari and Ino

"I'm good." Shikamaru simply answered

"Good." Chouji answered

""Never been better!" Tenten answered giggling looking up at Neji who just smiled and said

"Yeah, we've never been better." He emphasized the word _'we've' _just to get Sakura annoyed when he wouldn't elaborate on why he did that,

"So is everyone fully recovered?" Temari asked, it was an obvious question but it got Sakura to leave Tenten and Neji alone,

"Yeah." everyone said in unison,

"Good." she said looking down Shikamaru just put his arm around her and smiled as he understood she only really asked to get Sakura to shut up for a minute,

"Hey guys! WOW! Temari what are you doing here!?" Kiba said running up to them all

"I live here now." Temari said smiling pointing at her headband that now instead of the sand symbol was the leaf symbol,

"Cool, it's been ages you guys, all of you not just Temari! So what did I miss given the position there is Shikamaru and Temari going out, Tenten and Neji still holding up... Is that Chouji with a girlfriend before me?!"

"Yeah it is!" Ino said answering for him then holding his arm with hers looking into his eyes smiling,

"So... That leaves Sakura..." Kiba said changing his attention from them to her,

"Don't even think about touching her." Shino said lifting his hand between them, causing her to move back and take his other free hand in hers, they all just laughed at Kiba and went out to lunch together to catch up.

"Kiba was right... We were all apart for too long... Good thing that's not going to happen again. Can't wait until I meet the rest of the guys." Temari said smiling kissing Shikamaru on the cheek before going back to her drink.

"To never being apart again!" Ino said lifting her glass,

"Never being apart!" Everyone said in unison before laughing about actually doing something serious like making a promise that big to each other.

"Life's going to be good here." Temari said spacing out.

"You know if you hate being single there's always Hinata?" Shikamaru said teasing him

"Shut up Shikamaru..Wait a minute... There's Hinata..." Kiba said thinking about it. "I'll see you guys later I'm going to find Hinata." Kiba said smiling running off.

"If that's Kiba changed that much..." Temari stared before being interrupted by Ino,

"Wait until you see Sasuke and Naruto!" she said winking at the end...

"You troublesome woman. I was sent to save you from danger... Not love you." Shikamaru said looking at Temari

"Well you were sent to save the Kazekage and I'm happy you loved me after it." Temari said smiling at him.

"Temari, I loved you from the start." Shikamaru said looking into her eyes,

"You were sent to save him not to love me but you did it anyway..." Temari said looking up at him, giving him that big grin again this time instead of being concerned he just laughed.

The night went on and they all laughed at each other and how everyone has changed and grown up before Temari's eyes.

She really did love the Leaf village but it was the people who made it special.

She was eventually put into a team and started going on missions and went back to her village once a year to see her brothers and sometimes Shikamaru would go with her, just for the sake of it besides if they were able to stick it out for another year in a relationship. He wanted to have a bond with his brothers in law.

**There you have it! **

**Over, don't worry thought there will be more. Not specifically on Temari and Shikamaru because as you have read, I have other pairings too but don't worry no one else gets Shikamaru or Temari they are always a couple no matter what I type. **

**You won't find them with anyone else. **

**Sorry I'm really bad at endings I just wanted to keep typing and typing and typing but hey it had to end plus now I can write more about them and others and make it even more interesting plus with the reviews I got I know what to do in the future now! **

**Thanks for reading if you managed to enjoy it until the end! **

**I know it dragged on in the middle and at the start of this chapter but I managed to wrap it up and make it a little more interesting by giving you a quick look at some of my future fanfic pairings. **

**If you liked this one keep an eye out for my next one! It will most likely be out tomorrow I think but I might wait for some ideas to come into my head or get some from you? **

**Any ideas please say, I am open to suggestions don't be afraid of what I will say because I take all comments into account. :) **

**So basically review and keep an eye out if you liked it! •-• **

**Love you for making it to the end with me! :) **


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